Heading down to Naples FL in January to Help my Aunt

[Sea Six]

You can probably get your best bang for the buck staying at the hotels near the I-75 interchanges. Pick an interchange near where you are looking and you'll find a nice place. The closer you get to the beach the more it is going to cost, and the kind of place you're looking at is more likely inland a bit anyway.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

The Naples area was on our retirement short list until we visited here several months ago. One of the most pretentious places I've been in the U.S. Little character other than wall to-to-wall business. Crowded beaches. Overpriced real estate. However, warm weather in winter and did feel really safe here.. I would fly into Ft. Meyers if you can get a decent airfare as it is much closer.

Where did you end up choosing as your retirement destination

 

[Sugarcubesea]

We have a timeshare in Punta Gorda, FL it is in Fisherman's Village.They do nightly rentals too. http://www.fishville.com/resort/ Not Naples but nice community. Also Manufatured Home Community nearby
http://buttonwoodvillage.com/
Silentg

When I get home from work I will have to mspquest how far this is from Naples. Good to know they do nightly rentals

 

[silentg]

It is a very unique place, all timeshares are upstairs at a shopping village by the Marina. Very friendly and reasonable rates to stay.

 

[silentg]

Then she should visit her friends' community and see what is available near them. I have an aunt that lives in the Villages and her best friends live around the corner and her daughter and SIL live a half a block away. She will adjust faster if she has friends close.
I hear lots of good things about Naples, and the surrounding area.
Good Luck and let us know where she decides to live.
Silentg

 

[rapmarks]

If she has friends in Naples, she will not want estero and definitely not punts gorda, and it would be great to stay in the same subdivision or park.m we too looked around in Naples, my husband hated the traffic, we have a modest home, but it was more expensive than what we looked at in Naples. Look along rattlesnack hammock, very inexpensive, don't look in golden gate or east Naples. Yes Naples has wealthy people, and they have fundraisers for the elite that raises enormous amounts of money.
When we were looking, there were a lot of subdivides we could easily afford, but the lifestyle was more expensive then we wanted. If the subdividing has a restaurant look at the dinner menu, that will tell you a lot about the spending habits of the community


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[Conan]

I am confused by this -- when I clicked on the link, they were not mobile homes.

They call them trailer homes--you pay a small land lease for the plot and own the structure which was somehow put on site. Certainly they're not on wheels or anything like that. Sorry if I misunderstood.

 

[Conan]

Look along rattlesnack hammock....

That's exactly where Riviera Golf is that I was talking about.

 

[lizap]

She has two best friends that moved there and her hubby died at age 51 so she has decided to live her life fully

Where did you end up crossing as your retirement destination

Always thought we would retire near Asheville. Then started questioning this a couple of years ago. Still undecided. We love the Western part of the U.S. While I don't like cold weather, I do like the fact that summers in the West are mainly dry (really tired of hot, sticky summers with thunderstorms). Will be visiting southern Oregon in a couple of weeks. Love the Boulder area and western suburbs of Denver, but it does get cold in the winter there. Like Franklin, TN, but don't care for TN so much. Have lived in TX. The only place we would consider is the northwestern part of Austin. Don't find FL geographically beautiful unless yor're into beaches. Grew up on the Gulf Coast so beaches don't impress so much. Really would prefer to get out of the South. Any suggestions?

 

[Luanne]

Always thought we would retire near Asheville. Then started questioning this a couple of years ago. Still undecided. We love the Western part of the U.S. While I don't like cold weather, I do like the fact that summers in the West are mainly dry (really tired of hot, sticky summers with thunderstorms). Will be visiting southern Oregon in a couple of weeks. Love the Boulder area and western suburbs of Denver, but it does get cold in the winter there. Like Franklin, TN, but don't care for TN so much. Have lived in TX. The only place we would consider is the northwestern part of Austin. Don't find FL geographically beautiful unless yor're into beaches. Grew up on the Gulf Coast so beaches don't impress so much. Really would prefer to get out of the South. Any suggestions?

Santa Fe, NM

We retired here almost 5 years ago and love it. We do get some snow in the winter, but I grew up in California and if I can do the winters here, anyone can.

 

[rapmarks]

That's exactly where Riviera Golf is that I was talking about.

That is interesting


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[lizap]

Santa Fe, NM

We retired here almost 5 years ago and love it. We do get some snow in the winter, but I grew up in California and if I can do the winters here, anyone can.

Luanne, forgot about Santa Fe. We visited there once, but really only passed through. We have got to make a trip back out there. Any TSs there that we can get through II?

 

[rapmarks]

Think about your social life, it is mostly your work colleagues, your family, people from church or groups and some neighbors. In many Florida communities, everyone is a transplant. They no longer work, their social life will depend on what goes on in their community for the most part. We go north for the summer, but we moved away from where we spent our working life. We don't have much social life in the summer because our neighbors all work, and we are not in a community setting. Your aunt definitely needs to find a community she likes, especially since she is a widow


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[Luanne]

Luanne, forgot about Santa Fe. We visited there once, but really only passed through. We have got to make a trip back out there. Any TSs there that we can get through II?

When we were going to Santa Fe and staying in timeshares we were using RCI or Platinum International. I don't know if any of the timeshares in Santa Fe trade through II. There are only four:

Las Brisas
Otra Vez
Villas de Santa Fe
Worldmark

 

[lizap]

When we were going to Santa Fe and staying in timeshares we were using RCI or Platinum International. I don't know if any of the timeshares in Santa Fe trade through II. There are only four:

Las Brisas
Otra Vez
Villas de Santa Fe
Worldmark

Thanks. One of the challenges is that we only want one home (don't want to move during the winter).

 

[lizap]

When we were going to Santa Fe and staying in timeshares we were using RCI or Platinum International. I don't know if any of the timeshares in Santa Fe trade through II. There are only four:

Las Brisas
Otra Vez
Villas de Santa Fe
Worldmark

Luanne, are scorpions and snakes a problem there?

 

[Sugarcubesea]

Always thought we would retire near Asheville. Then started questioning this a couple of years ago. Still undecided. We love the Western part of the U.S. While I don't like cold weather, I do like the fact that summers in the West are mainly dry (really tired of hot, sticky summers with thunderstorms). Will be visiting southern Oregon in a couple of weeks. Love the Boulder area and western suburbs of Denver, but it does get cold in the winter there. Like Franklin, TN, but don't care for TN so much. Have lived in TX. The only place we would consider is the northwestern part of Austin. Don't find FL geographically beautiful unless yor're into beaches. Grew up on the Gulf Coast so beaches don't impress so much. Really would prefer to get out of the South. Any suggestions?

I'm in MI and I have 10 years till I can retire. I would like to move somewhere warm because I just can't take the winters anymore in the Midwest. I have 3 kids so I want to see where they land. I really want to move to a location that has at least a few friends. I like states that are good to retires like FL GA NV AZ. I love the water and beachs but my arthritis does not like humidity.

I think my aunt will enjoy FL as she loves the water, loves warm weather and loves hanging with her friends. I'm excited to help her find something nice and safe.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

Santa Fe, NM

We retired here almost 5 years ago and love it. We do get some snow in the winter, but I grew up in California and if I can do the winters here, anyone can.

Santa Fe has always been in my bucket list of places I want to visit. How much snow do you have in the winter. Is this a good state for retires? I'm hellbent on finding a place that's affordable, safe, and warm.

 

[lizap]

I'm in MI and I have 10 years till I can retire. I would like to move somewhere warm because I just can't take the winters anymore in the Midwest. I have 3 kids so I want to see where they land. I really want to move to a location that has at least a few friends. I like states that are good to retires like FL GA NV AZ. I love the water and beachs but my arthritis does not like humidity.

I think my aunt will enjoy FL as she loves the water, loves warm weather and loves hanging with her friends. I'm excited to help her find something nice and safe.

We have one daughter who is very 'needy'. We love our grandchildren and like our son-in-law; unfortunately, she married the wrong person considering her 'wants'. She has a degree in the medical field, but refuses to work, although her husband has recently been laid off. They are now at our house, hopefully not for long. So we need distance between us..

 

[Sugarcubesea]

We have one daughter who is very 'needy'. We love our grandchildren and like our son-in-law; unfortunately, she married the wrong person considering her 'wants'. She has a degree in the medical field, but refuses to work, although her husband has recently been laid off. They are now at our house, hopefully not for long. So we need distance between us..

Wow, I had not thought of that. My youngest (my daughter ) is high maintenance and I worry that she will never leave the nest. She is 19 and has flunked her driving test twice and still does not have her drivers license. She might be my hang around kid.

 

[silentg]

Growing up in my family, I always stayed close to home, not one to venture out. So when I told my parents we were moving to Florida, they were very upset. After a couple of years, they started coming down to Florida for the winter. My Dad loved it here, but Mum missed my other siblings and her sisters. Luckily our kids have stayed in Florida. Daughter lives close by, son lives in South Florida. My parents have past away. My siblings and my husbands family all live in the Boston area. We used to visit every summer when the kids were small.. and we would have lots of company in the winter months. We don't go up to Boston very much now. Only for weddings or other occasions. We have made lots of friends here and some friends from Boston have moved to Florida too. It's been almost 30 years and for the most part been very happy. We live in Central Florida.
Silentg

 

[vacationhopeful]

Needy adults ... who move into someone (parent, grandparent, sibling, friend)'s home ... easily establishes RESIDENCY, then has to be legally EVICTED in our state court. You have NOT lived until the responsible family member(s) hire a lawyer to try to remove their adult child from their home ("for cause" as any rental amount is hard or was NOT establish as a fact or part of their tenancy).

Establish a written rental amount these adult children MUST pay ... in my state, I think "make my day, don't pay me my rent" as non-payment is the simplest cause for eviction.

 

[silentg]

There are exceptions,our kids, moved out after college and marriage. Our son, stays with us every few months or so for a weekend. Nothing permanent, they are both independent and know we are here if they need anything, but they haven't depended on us for some time. Waiting for DH to retire so we can travel more. We have 6 timeshare weeks, that we use and enjoy timesharing very much. Our adult kids don't go with us very much. So we go to places we want to see. Love my timeshares!
Silentg

 

[Sugarcubesea]

Do you have a timeshare through RCI? You might be able to find a stay in Naples or close by instead to paying for a hotel.

We love the Watermark Restaurant and Mr. Big Fish. We also really like Mr. Tequila too. The Mercado is fun also and has some great restaurants. We ate at The Pub and had good food. Check out the downtown 5th Avenue section of Naples. We've eaten at Cafe Luna would recommend it. Both Cafe Luna and Mr. Big Fish have some great deals; check out their websites.

My timeshares are thru II

 

[silentg]

Fishermen's Village is in II